Armory Week 2011: Photos from Our Favorite So Far, the Independent

A giant metal webbed cube and crinkled blue paper by Michel François at the Bortolami booth.

The second edition of Elizabeth Dee and Darren Flook’s Independent art fair opened yesterday afternoon at the former Dia space on West 22nd Street, rooftop deck and all—great view from up there, don’t miss it. The free fair takes up three floors and features some 45 galleries from the U.S. and Europe (plus one from Istanbul), and is easily the best (and least exhausting) I’ve seen this week—although the Moving Image comes a very, very close second.

This massive two-sided painting on multiple sheets suspended from the ceiling in the middle of the room seems to be by an artist from Meyer Reigger, but we couldn’t figure out which one; anyone know? It’s pretty stunning.

Another view of this giant hanging painting, with some interesting sculptural appendages.

Like this weight with a face painted on it, anchoring one corner of the canvas.

These two torqued mirror sculptures remind me of the mirror sheets adorning the Ronald Feldman booth at the Armory Show, but less obnoxious.

Also at the Meyer Riegger booth, Katinka Bock’s “Miles and Moments” (2010) tire marks sculpture stretches across the whole space.

Another car! Last year it was a Delorean, this year Folke Koebberling and Martin Kaltwasser cut up a Saab into two fully functional bicycles. Car collage!

Another view of the Folke Koebberling and Martin Kaltwasser motorcycle car.

The Independent continues through Sunday at 548 West 22nd Street, and is free. This afternoon, incidentally, the one-day Armory Week fair the Dependent Art Fair, also free, takes over the Sheraton at 160 West 25th Street. We’ll be there, tweeting it @LMagArt.